Department for Transport

Railways: Bicycles

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which passenger train operators have prohibited the carriage of e-bikes; when such prohibitions came into effect; and for what reasons.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We are not aware of any current passenger train operators contracted by the Department for Transport prohibiting the carriage of e-cycles, beyond restrictions that apply to all cycles. In the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail the Government committed to increasing space for cycles on existing trains wherever practically possible and that all future train fleets will need to include more cycle spaces relevant to the markets served. The Government also committed to making it easier to reserve cycle spaces on trains online.

Electric Vehicles: Accidents

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) regulations, (2) protocols, or (3) engineering standards, require all the batteries of (a) an electric, or (b) a hybrid, vehicle in the UK to be automatically electrically isolated in the event of a collision; and ifno such measures exist, what assessment they have made of whether they should be introduced.

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there are any novel risks associated with (1) an electric, or (2) a hybrid, vehicle which has been involved in a serious collision; and what steps they have taken to mitigate any such risks.

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what(1) regulations, (2) protocols, or (3) engineering standards, that standardise the means of confirming electrical isolation of all the batteries of (a) an electric, or (b) a hybrid, vehicle in the event of a serious collision exist; and if no such measures exist, what assessment they have made of whether they should be introduced.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK is actively involved in the development of international regulations for road vehicle approval at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. These regulations take into account novel risks and potential safety concerns associated with hybrid and electric vehicles. The crashworthiness regulations have been amended to require hybrid and electric vehicles to have either an automatic disconnect for the high voltage system or for the electrical system integrity to be maintained after the vehicle undergoes regulated crash testing. A specific regulation dealing with electrical safety of vehicles has been updated to include provisions for the mechanical and electrical testing of the battery, its fire resistance and electrical insulation. The regulations do not require a means to confirm the isolation of the batteries following a serious collision because it is considered appropriate for those attending the scene to confirm by independent means that the vehicle does not present a hazard or risk. In support of this approach, the Department has developed a guidance document for operators involved in the recovery of hybrid and electric vehicles which will shortly be made available on GOV.UK. Alongside this work, the Department is an active member of Euro NCAP, which has introduced a mobile phone application that provides vehicle specific information for recovery professionals and emergency services to identify the location of key components of the high voltage system.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

KPMG: Silentnight

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to retain the fine money levied on KPMG and one of its then partners by the Financial Reporting Council, rather than paying it to the Silentnight pension scheme which lost out as a result of KPMG’s actions.

Lord Callanan: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) undertook the investigation into Silentnight under its accountancy scheme as the Silentnight investigation was into KPMG’s accounting services. This requires fines and any costs recovered to be paid to the chartered accountancy body that funded the investigation and sanctions process. In this case the fines and costs were paid to the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The same would be true if ICAEW had taken forward the investigation and sanctions process itself. Accountancy bodies may make private arrangements as to the use of fine income for the benefit of groups that have suffered losses as a result of an insolvency.

UK Endorsement Board

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Guardian article ‘Standards board “looks like a cabal”’, published on 7 February, which person in the Financial Reporting Council is the Accounting Officer responsible for making disbursements on behalf of the UK Endorsement Board; and whether disbursements will be suspended pending an investigation by the National Audit Office into the Board’s activities.

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Guardian article ‘Standards board “looks like a cabal”’, published on 7 February, whether the National Audit Office has given any opinion on the funding model for the UK Endorsement Board.

Lord Callanan: The UK Endorsement Board is an unincorporated association and is not subject to audit by the National Audit Office. The Board is subject to Financial Reporting Council (FRC) oversight in respect of its governance and due process. In setting its budget, the UKEB consults with the FRC and follows the FRC’s budgeting processes. The FRC is subject to audits from the National Audit Office. The FRC’s Chief Executive and Accounting Officer is the UK Endorsement Board’s Accounting Officer.

Financial Reporting Council: Public Appointments

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 22 May 2018 (HL7589), what assessment they have made of the appointment of David Willis to the board of the Financial Reporting Council given his previous role as Chief Executive of a company that was contracted to undertake enforcement work for that body without a tender process.

Lord Callanan: The recent appointment of FRC Board members was based on merit and capability and undertaken following due process under the Governance Code on Public Appointments which is set by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Due diligence was conducted for all candidates shortlisted for interview in relation to potential conflicts of interest.

UK Endorsement Board

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February, whether they plan to investigate the report that the UK Endorsement Board intended to use Martin Moore QC for legal advice “behind the scenes” despite an acknowledged conflict of interest which prevented him from being formally instructed.

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the documents referred to in the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February.

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 5 March 2018 (HL5587) and to the article in The Times ‘Standards board ‘looks like a cabal’’, published on 7 February, what assessment they have made of whether legal advice obtained from Martin Moore QC for (1) the Financial Reporting Council, or (2) the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, has been (a) properly obtained, (b) independent, and (c) suitable for determining matters of public interest.

Lord Callanan: The organisations referred to in these questions - the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – are responsible for procuring their own legal advice. The FRC which facilities the UKEB is an arm’s length body which reports annually to the Department on how it has carried out responsibilities under its remit. The ICAEW is an independent organisation. The issue of whether to publish legal advice is for the respective organisations to consider.

Advanced Research and Invention Agency

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members will compose the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.

Lord Callanan: ARIA will consist of executive and non-executive members. The executive members are the Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Finance Officer and between two and five others. The non-executive members are the Chair, the Government Chief Scientific Advisor, and a number of others appointed by the Secretary of State. There must be a majority of non-executive members.

Advanced Research and Invention Agency

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the anticipated vesting day of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.

Lord Callanan: The provisions of the ARIA Bill will commence once a sufficient number of its members have been appointed. We expect this to take place in Autumn 2022.

UK Endorsement Board

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to prevent individuals associated with auditing firms fined by the Financial Reporting Council from sitting on the UK Endorsement Board.

Lord Callanan: The Chair and members of the UK Endorsement Board (UKEB) are appointed, following a fair and open recruitment process, in line with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code for Public Appointments. Recruitment also follows criteria set by the Secretary of State in the Terms of Reference covering diversity of knowledge and skills. Due diligence checks are also carried out on all proposed Board members to ensure the appropriateness of their appointment. The UKEB members are appointed in their individual capacity, are required to act independently, and in the UK long-term public good. This entails not showing preference to special interests and/or any employing entity and professional, sectoral or organisational affiliations. UKEB Board members are required to complete a Register of Interests, available on the UKEB website. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is responsible for the public oversight of statutory auditors, including investigation and sanctioning in relation to the statutory audits of Public Interest Entities and certain other entities. The FRC also provides a voluntary independent investigation and discipline scheme for matters relating to the accountancy or actuarial professions which raise important issues affecting the public interest.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total prison population in England and Wales.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As at 4 February 2022, the total prison population in England and Wales was 79,623.The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) publishes this information weekly through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-population-figures-2022.

Sexual Offences

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) rapes, and (2) serious sexual assaults, for which charges are unable to be brought due to the one year time limit from the commission of the offence in the Sexual Offences Act 1956.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Where conduct amounting to rape or another serious sexual offence is alleged to have taken place before 1 May 2004, when the Sexual Offences Act 1956 was repealed by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a prosecution could be brought (providing the evidential test is met) under the appropriate provision of the 1956 Act, as that Act made no provision for a time limit for prosecuting those offences. The Act imposed a time limit (of one year) only in respect of the offence in section 6 of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged between 13 and 15. As that offence could apply only to conduct that took place before 1 May 2004, proceedings under it would now be time-barred.

Slavery: Victims

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether compensation has been paid to victims of (1) exploitation, and (2) abuse, following recent convictions connected with modern slavery; and if so, whether any such payments came from (a) the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, or (b) from assets seized.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We are unable to comment on individual cases.The GB-wide Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme) provides state-funded compensation to victims of violent crime who may be unable to access compensation from other routes. Payments are available for physical or psychological injuries resulting directly from a crime of violence. Compensation under the Scheme is not dependent on the conviction of the perpetrator, and is separate to any order made by the sentencing court.Victims of modern slavery who have been conclusively identified as such (through the National Referral Mechanism) may be eligible for compensation under the Scheme regardless of residence status or nationality, subject to wider eligibility criteria. The crime committed must constitute a crime of violence as defined under Annex B of the Scheme. Victims are compensated for the injuries they have sustained rather than the nature of the incident (with the exception of sexual assault or abuse). The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority which operates the Scheme does not hold data on compensation awarded to victims of modern slavery.The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides police forces and other enforcement agencies with the statutory framework to recover the proceeds of crime from criminals and those engaged in unlawful conduct. This includes powers which allow courts to confiscate the proceeds of crime following a criminal conviction. A court imposing a Confiscation Order can also order an offender to pay compensation to the victim of their crime. If the offender does not have the means to satisfy both a Confiscation Order and a Compensation Order, the court can order that the Compensation Order be paid from the sums recovered as part of the Confiscation Order.Data is not held on compensation paid to victims from modern slavery related asset recoveries.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent involvement as a spectator at sporting events is considered an appropriate part of the rehabilitation process for ex-offenders.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service do not have a specific policy in relation to spectating at sporting events for prison leavers and/or people on probation. However, we recognise that rehabilitation plans need to be tailored to individuals. Rehabilitation of ex-offenders can take a number of forms. As well as work focusing on challenging offending behaviour, rehabilitation requires reintegration of the individual safely into the community. This involves enabling individuals to access relationships and networks that provide opportunities in work and education as well as promoting opportunities for people to get involved in community focused activities. Participation in a sporting event is often a positive social activity and unless an individual were restricted due to the nature of their offence, we would consider this a supportive and potentially rehabilitative activity.

Prisoners: Disability

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance, if any, is provided by the Parole Board on the importance of prisoners with disabilities attending live sporting events as part of the rehabilitation and parole processes; and how many prisoners with disabilities participate in football as a player or spectator in (a) prison-based, and (b) external football programmes.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Parole Board has not provided specific guidance on this issue. If a prisoner has engaged in sports-focused rehabilitation, this could form part of the evidence which is considered at parole hearings. HMPPS and MoJ hold no data on the number of prisoners with disabilities participating in football as a player or spectator either in (a) prison-based, or (b) external football programmes.

Prisoners: Disability

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what records are kept by the Parole Board in respect of prisoners’ disabilities when they are attending open hearings.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: At present, all Parole Board hearings are held in private (as set out in Parole Board Rule 15[3]) with no open hearings.Parole Board members determine whether there are any additional requirements that are necessary to ensure that a prisoner is able to participate in their review, including any disabilities they may have. The Parole Board does not keep separate records of this.

Prisoners and Probation: Disability

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many disabled people are (1) in prison, and (2) on probation, in England and Wales broken down by type of disability.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Self-declared information on disability is held on national databases, however, it is of mixed quality and not suitable for publication. Obtaining reliable information would require matching against local records and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.Prison and Probation Services in England and Wales must adhere to the Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) works to respond to the individual needs of all prisoners and those on probation. We have developed a national, consistent approach to all prisoners and people on probation with care and support needs.The National Disability Strategy published by the Government in July 2021 sets out a number of commitments for the Ministry of Justice, including improving the knowledge of front-line staff on neurodiversity. Steps are taken to ensure that prisoners and those in the community are able to progress with their sentence plans and rehabilitate and that reasonable adjustments are provided.The use of a Diversity Information Form (DIF) is mandated at court for those for whom the probation service is preparing a pre-sentence report. This includes the collation of data on disability status and type of disability, which is also used to inform the pre-sentence report. The form has recently been revised and reissued with guidance to incorporate a wider range of disabilities. However, this data is self-reported, and there can be some reluctance on the part of disabled people to share this information, for understandable reasons.All prisoners’ needs are assessed when they enter custody and arrangements are made locally to ensure they are met. In the case of disabled people arrangements may include Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), access to necessary services or equipment to aid their wellbeing, social interactions and rehabilitation.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not yet submitted the UK state party’s report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as part of the seventh periodic review, which was due by 30 June 2021; and when they expect to submit it.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The submission of the UK’s 7th Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has been delayed due to a number of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic.A letter alerting the Secretariat of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to the delay was sent in December 2020 and a revised timeframe of early 2022 has since been agreed.The Government now aims to submit and publish its report shortly.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ireland/Northern Ireland Specialised Committee

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government who they are sending as delegates to the meeting of the Joint Committee on the Northern Ireland Protocol on 21 February.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The next meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee will take place on 21 February 2022. The meeting will be co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, on behalf of the UK. The Minister of State for Europe and North America, Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, and the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP will also attend in their capacity as UK alternate co-chairs Representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive have been invited to attend.

Myanmar: Sanctions

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce sanctions on Burmese companies involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the military in Myanmar.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK has been at the forefront of the international sanctions response. Since 1 February 2021, the UK has worked quickly, in coordination with partners, to impose targeted sanctions on the junta. We have sanctioned the junta's ruling body and its military leadership, as well as key revenue streams for the military, including three State Owned Enterprises, a high profile business associate, the two largest military business conglomerates and defence entities which arm and equip the military.We cannot speculate on future designations but we are looking at a range of further targets and measures. The UK is committed to targeted sanctions which directly impact the military without harming the wider population.

Myanmar: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) about the case for not inviting Myanmar to participate to meetings of ASEAN and other such fora to avoid recognising or legitimising the military regime in that country.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK supports ASEAN's efforts to find a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar. We discussed the deteriorating situation with ASEAN partners at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting from 10-12 December. We reiterated our support for the ASEAN Five Point Consensus and raised the need to de-escalate conflict, tackle the flow of arms and ensure humanitarian access.We acknowledge their landmark decision not to invite the Commander-in-Chief to their Leaders' Summit in October 2021, due to a lack of progress on the Five Point Consensus. We will continue to engage with ASEAN and the Special Envoy to express our concerns about the current crisis, and work together to push for a peaceful resolution.

Myanmar: Humanitarian Aid

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-border aidthey are providing to vulnerable populations in Myanmar.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Meeting humanitarian needs and supporting the resilience of the most vulnerable remains our priority. Since the coup the FCDO has provided £49.4 million in aid to Myanmar. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance through International NGOs, the UN, Red Cross and civil society organisations to those affected by conflict and natural disasters including with food, water, hygiene and sanitation services, shelter, medical equipment, and protection for the most vulnerable especially in displacement camps.We are closely monitoring the outbreaks of fighting, including on supply routes in border regions, to ensure support reaches those in most need. At present, the UK is funding partners providing assistance on the borders with Thailand and India. As the situation unfolds, we will continue to consider all options to ensure that humanitarian aid can be delivered to those that need it.

Latin America: Foreign Relations

Baroness Hooper: To ask Her Majesty's Government why relations with Latin America is not listed on the printed list of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ministerial responsibilities; and why relations with Latin America is not the responsibility of a Minister of State.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Latin America is an important partner for the UK's global ambitions, with many countries aligned with our values, and we maintain a strong diplomatic relationship with countries around the region. The latest list of Ministerial responsibilities was published in November 2021, and lists Wendy Morton MP as FCDO Parliamentary Undersecretary of State (Minister for Europe and the Americas). Responsibilities included the Americas, the Caribbean, and Small Island Developing States. In December 2021, Minister Ford took over responsibility for Latin America. The current page on www.Gov.uk/government/ministers lists this as FCDO Parliamentary Undersecretary of State (Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean). I am already engaging with Ambassadors from the region, and plan to visit next month.

Ministry of Defence

Shipbuilding

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 18 November 2021 (HL3743) in which she said that the Refresh to the National Shipbuilding Strategywould be published "later this year", when they now expect to publish that Strategy.

Baroness Goldie: The National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh will be published early this year.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Batteries: Recycling

Lord Redesdale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the reasons why permits for battery recycling facilities, including the Fenix plant in Willenhall, were not authorised by the Environment Agency.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In the specific case, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to PQ HL5950. Generally, the most common reasons why a permit for installations may not be authorised are operator competence (ability to operate a regulated facility and fulfil the obligations of an operator), the activity posing unacceptable risk to people and the environment, or that insufficient information is provided to allow for assessment of potential impacts.

Water Companies: Pollution

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with Ofwat about the powers it has to take action against individual water company executives in the event of illegal sewage discharges; and whether those discussions identified (1) any request from Ofwat for greater powers to fine water company executives, and (2) any lacunae in its regulatory powers in this area.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Water companies are separate legal entities from their directors, as per company law, and it is companies which undertake most of the duties associated with treatment and discharge of sewage. However, directors of companies can be held liable for the offences committed by their companies in the event that consent, connivance or neglect on their part can be shown.The Government has made improving water quality a priority and has introduced reforms to enable that. The Environment Act has placed our ambition on a statutory footing, setting a duty for water companies to achieve a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from Storm Overflows. The Act has also modernised water resources planning, and introduced statutory requirements on monitoring and transparency. The Secretary of State can also give general authorisation to Ofwat which will enable the regulator to take enforcement action should companies fail to meet these new duties.The Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat sets an expectation that they will challenge water companies to demonstrate how they will deliver improvements to environmental outcomes, sets a new course so the industry can deliver more for the environment, and includes an expectation for Ofwat to 'challenge water companies to demonstrate how they will achieve zero serious pollution incidents by 2030' which will provide a clear signal to companies.

Otters: Conservation

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats to the otter population in the UK; and what steps, if any, they are proposing to address any such threats.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The recently published sixth national otter survey of Wales (2015-18) showed a decline in the percentage of survey sites which had evidence of otters for the first time since the surveys began in the late 1970s. In England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Mammal Society are collaborating on a new national otter survey of England which is due to start later this year. By the end of next year we hope to have sufficient data to understand whether the England population has continued to recover and what threats, if any, may hinder recovery locally or nationally. Under the Environment Act, this government has set a world leading target to halt the decline in species by 2030, and will also be setting targets to restore water quality. We expect actions to deliver these targets to support the continued recovery of native species like the otter. My department will publish a Green Paper early this year which will look at how the regulatory framework can help drive the delivery of our 2030 target and reverse declines of species. We are creating a Nature Recovery Network which will be a bigger, better quality and increasingly connected network of places that are richer in wildlife, support the recovery of species, and are more resilient to climate change and other pressures. At the core of the Network will be our existing best areas for nature, including protected sites and National Nature Reserves. As committed to in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we will also create or restore 500,000 hectares of additional wildlife-rich habitat beyond these existing areas. These actions will also help recover species like the otter.

Home Office

Military Attachés: Myanmar

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any risk to the Myanmar community in the UK presented by any Myanmar military attaché in the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: As a matter or long-standing policy, the Government does not comment on the detail of security or intelligence matters.The Government takes potential risks to communities in the UK, including those from Myanmar, very seriously. I would encourage anyone who feels that they are under threat to contact the police in the first instance.

Hikvision

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 1 September (HL2328) and 21 September 2021 (HL2472) where she stated that she would “be meeting with the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner shortly to discuss the issues raised in the correspondence with Hikvision”, and her remarks on 2 February (HL Deb col 998), what was the outcome of those discussions with the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner; and whether Hikvision will be banned by the United Kingdom.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 1 September (HL2328) and 21 September 2021 (HL2472) and her remarks on 2 February (HL Deb col 998), what discussions they have held with the government of the United States about its reasons for banning Hikvision; and why they have not taken similar steps with regard to banning Hikvision.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: I have met with the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner on 13 October last year and discussed the issues raised in the correspondence with Hikvision.The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns. We have published guidance to help cutting-edge UK firms negotiate the ethical, legal and commercial questions they may encounter in China or when working with Chinese businesses, supporting safe and appropriate UK-China collaboration in the digital and technology space. The guidance provides firms with clear, up-to-date information and specialist support which reflect the UK’s values and take account of national security concerns. Our Overseas Business Risk guidance also makes clear to UK businesses operating in China the need to consider the risk of exposure to entities that may be providing or developing surveillance technologies. We continue to keep our policy position under review, working closely with our international partners.

Knives: Crime

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of knife crime in (1) urban areas, and (2) rural areas; and what steps they will take as a result of that assessment.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Figures provided by the Office of National Statistics for Crime in England and Wales show in the year ending September 2021, knife or sharp instrument offences were more concentrated in urban areas with the three police force areas with the highest volume of knife-enabled crime being the Metropolitan Police, West Midlands and Greater Manchester. These figures are available on gov.uk.Tackling knife crime is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities. This is why the Government made £130.5m available in 2021 and 2022 to tackle serious violence, including murder and knife crime.This includes £35.5m for Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) which bring together local partners to tackle the drivers of violence in the 18 areas across England and Wales most affected by serious violence. VRUs are delivering a range of early intervention and prevention programmes to divert people away from violent crime and reached over 300,000 young people in the first two years alone.It also includes £30m in the same period to support the police to take targeted action in parts of England and Wales most affected by serious violence through the Grip programme, which uses data to identify violence hotspots and target operational activity in those areas. Through the Grip pilot in Essex, Southend-on-Sea, there was a 73.5% drop in violent crime in hot spot areas on patrol days.The investment includes up to £20m for additional early intervention and prevention programmes to support young people at high risk of involvement in serious violence. We have separately invested £200m over 10 years for the Youth Endowment Fund, which is funding projects to support children and young people at risk of violence and exploitation.We acknowledge there is more to do which is why the Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill includes a duty on public sector bodies to take a joined-up approach to addressing serious violence; the requirement for local agencies to review the circumstances when an adult homicide takes place involving an offensive weapon; and Serious Violence Reduction Orders, which give the police the authority to stop and search known knife and weapons carriers. We have also prohibited certain particularly dangerous types of knife through the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 and have introduced the offence of possessing specified offensive weapons in private. The Act also introduced Knife Crime Prevention Orders which will provide the police with a vital means to steer those most at risk away from serious violence. On 5 July 2021 we introduced a pilot for KCPOs across the Metropolitan Police area.

Fires: Safety Measures

Baroness Grey-Thompson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the outcomes of their consultation on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, which ran from 8 June 2021 to 19 July 2021.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government’s response to the consultation on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) will be published shortly, once the views of all individuals and organisations who contributed have been carefully considered.

Rwanda: Asylum

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish offshore asylum processing centres in Rwanda.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government have been clear that we are committed to working closely with international partners as we work to fix our broken asylum system. We are talking to a range of partners about how we could work together and will not rule out any option that could help reduce illegal migration and relieve the pressure on the broken asylum system.We will not give a running commentary on discussions with our international partners but would only ever work with countries which are safe and will treat those transferred in accordance with our international obligations.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Public Lavatories

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to their consultation on toilet provision for men and women, which ran from 31 October 2020 to 26 February 2021.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government ran a call for evidence on toilet provision for men and women from 31 October 2020 to 26 February 2021. We are considering the responses and how to take this work forward.

Regional Planning and Development: Ethnic Groups

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government, whenpreparing the White Paper Levelling Up the United Kingdom, published on 2 February, what assessment they made of the impact of ethnicity in determining the scale and nature of geographical disparities across the UK; and what measures, if any, they plan to introduce to reduce (1) the ethnic pay gap, and (2) the disparities in the levels of unemployment between different ethnicities, across all regions of the UK.

Lord Greenhalgh: The United Kingdom is one of the greatest countries in the world, but not everyone shares in its success. Pockets of inequality and deprivation exist, with differentials both within and between regions. The Government’s central task is to level up the UK by spreading opportunity more equally across the country, addressing inequality and deprivation in those areas that have been left behind.The Levelling Up White Paper drew on the findings of the independent Commission for Race and Ethnic Disparities' report of 31 March 2021. As the Commission emphasised, geography is a key factor affecting equality of opportunity and social mobility, and geographical and ethnicity-related factors are closely interrelated. The Government welcomes the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings on the ethnicity pay gap and reporting, including in light of the work that has already taken place within government, and will respond to the Commission’s report in due course.The ethnic minority employment rate is 68.1 per cent, a record high, but we know there is more we can do. This is why, building on the success of our flagship Kickstart scheme, we have introduced our Way To Work mission, which will support people back into work, including ethnic minority jobseekers, faster than ever before and filling vacancies across all regions more quickly.

Electoral Register: Visual Impairment

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s conclusion that the Elections Bill will make it more difficult for blind and partially sighted people to cast their votes independently and in secret.

Lord Greenhalgh: The secrecy of the vote is protected for all voters, including those who are blind and partially sighted, by section 66 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. This is being extended in the Elections Bill to cover voters using postal votes - and so will add to the secrecy provisions for the many disabled electors who choose to vote by post.Other changes in the Elections Bill are specifically aimed at improving the equipment and support available to disabled voters when casting their vote in the polling station. The RNIB’s proposed approach would require Returning Officers to provide a specific piece of equipment in every polling station - one that is strictly defined in legislation, so cannot be adjusted, modified or updated without further legislation. The Government’s view is that a one-size-fits-all approach is not right for all disabled voters, which is why the Bill broadens the provision so that Returning Officers are required to consider the needs of all disabled voters when providing equipment for polling stations. Rather than a blanket provision, we want disabled voters to get the support that is right for them.The new requirement will be supported by Electoral Commission guidance produced in partnership with the Government’s expert Accessibility of Elections Working Group, of which the RNIB is a much valued member.

Cabinet Office

Census

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the data from the 2021 Census will be published.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National StatisticianThe Baroness Kennedy of CradleyHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW09 February 2022Dear Baroness Kennedy,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking when the data from the 2021 Census will be published (HL5990).We aim to release the first results for Census 2021 data on the population of England and Wales in late May 2022. This will be followed by the release of the full data from the census in stages through to spring 2023. This includes data for small areas on the full range and combinations of census variables that provide such a rich insight into the characteristics of the population. In total there will be billions of counts of information to inform decision making in the years ahead. The range of products planned will make census data accessible for people with a range of levels of interest and experience, from those with a passing interest in information about the country or their local area through to expert and professional users of data.The planned release schedule for Census 2021 will make the information available significantly earlier than has been possible previously. Our proposed outputs and analysis release plans are set out on the Release Plans page on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website [1]. The ONS held a consultation on our Census 2021 outputs plans last year, further details and part one of the ONS’s response to feedback on the consultation are available on our website [2].Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond1. https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/census2021outputs/releaseplans2. https://consultations.ons.gov.uk/external-affairs/census-2021-outputs-consultation UKSA response (pdf, 110.5KB)

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Catering

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what steps theHouse of Lords catering services are taking to support British farmers and growers by buying British produce.

Lord Touhig: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.It is always the intention of Catering & Retail Services to purchase high quality, fresh, seasonal produce. In catering outlets and for events the majority of fresh products purchased are British: meat, dairy, bread, eggs, and fruit and vegetables (when in season) are sourced from within the UK.When tendering for new supplier contracts the Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Service (PPCS) add to contracts wording such as:"The Authority [PPCS] seeks to appoint fresh produce suppliers that have robust environmental and local sourcing policies and give preference to those that subscribe to Linking Environment and Farming marque (LEAF), or Red Tractor…"Seasonality and the provenance of our ingredients feature heavily on our menus and promotional material. Key calendar dates such as British Food Fortnight are supported in our outlets through promotional activity, along with other regional showcases, highlighting produce and traditional food recipes from across the UK. Catering & Retail Services have also worked with the National Farmers Union for their Back British Farming campaigns.